Botanical Name: Elettaria cardamomum (L) Maton var. cardamomum

Family: Zingiberaceae.

Synonyms: Amomum cardamomum L.; Elettaria cardamomum L. var. miniscula Burkill; Elettaria cardamomum L. var. minus Watt; cardamom; Mysore cardamom.

Origin: Native to India, especially southern India and Sri Lanka. Cultivated in India, Sri Lanka, Guatemala, Malaysia, Indonesia.

Botanical Description: A leafy, perennial plant that grows up to 4-meters (14 ft) high, with hairless leaves along thick fleshy stalks. Has attractive small white flowers with purple tips on much branched flowering stems and develop into small green, brown or white three-valved capsules or fruits, each containing several seeds. The fruits containing the oblong red-brown seeds are harvested prior to ripening and dried, which is completed by exposing them to sunlight.

Oil Extraction: Essential oil is obtained by steam distillation of the comminuted seeds. The oil is a colorless to pale yellow mobile liquid. Yield 5%.

Aroma Profile: Has a camphoraceous spicy top note. Balsamic sweet woody middle note and a sweet balsamic, floral-spicy dry out.

Major Constituents: α-terpinyl acetate,1,8-cineole, α-pinene, sabinene, myrcene, linalool, linalyl acetate, borneol.

Adulterants: Not typically adulterated.

Regulatory Status: GRAS 182.20.

Aromatherapy: Warming, exotic, sense-enhancing.

Blends well with: Cinnamon, cloves, caraway, cedarwood, bergamot, rose, neroli, ylang ylang..

Safety Data: Non-toxic, non-irritant, non-sensitizing.